Pioneer, Go Home!
Encyclopedia
Pioneer, Go Home! is a satirical novel by Richard P. Powell
, first published in 1959
. The novel follows a New Jersey
family, The Kwimpers, who relocate to Columbiana, a fictional state that resembles Florida
, and squat on the side of a highway where a new bridge is being built, outraging local officials. The book was adapted into a play by Herman Raucher
and also an Elvis Presley
movie, Follow that Dream
.
, New Jersey
is on a vacation in Columbiana when their car runs out of gas. Somewhere along the way, the Kwimpers had made a wrong turn and ended up on an unfinished highway. While waiting for assistance to arrive they set up shacks on the side of the road to live out of.
The Kwimper clan consists of Pop Kwimper who has lived his entire life off government welfare programs such as unemployment compensation and Aid to Families with Dependent Children
, his happy-go-lucky son Toby Kwimper (whose "Strength is as the strength of ten because his heart is pure"), adopted identical twins Eddy and Teddy that nobody can tell apart (and whose parents "tried to beat a train to a crossing and only came out tied"), and the family baby sitter Holly Jones.
When confronted by state officials and treated poorly Pop Kwimper decides that the family will settle on the side of the highway permanently. Pop learns of old squatting
statutes in the state and determines that he has a legal right to occupy the land.
The novel revolves around the family's comical battles with the government, as they establish their lives on the squatted land and are eventually joined by other squatters. The family also contends with social workers, their own poverty, a hurricane, and a group of gangsters that tries to squat on nearby land to run an illegal casino.
Of the novel's satire, in the first edition of the novel the publisher writes:
, Powell moved to Fort Myers, Florida
. Powell learned that the state of Florida had just built a bridge to Pine Island
. The fill
used to build the bridge, inadvertently created a tract of land that did not exist on maps. A group of squatters moved onto the land, building shacks and starting small businesses, as in the novel. Eventually, the state granted property title
s to the squatters.
Powell's previous novel was The Philadelphian, a serious novel about four-generations of a Philadelphia family as they navigate the city's complex social ladder. The book spent 6 months on the best-seller charts. Most observers expected Powell to follow-up with a similar book, but instead he wanted something different and wrote a comedy.
. Although the name Pioneer, Go Home! was considered for the film, it was ultimately named Follow that Dream
. The film adaptation was a musical, scored by Hans J. Salter
. Elvis played the role of Toby Kwimper. Arthur O'Connell
played Pop Kwimper. The screenplay was written by Charles Lederer
, who also wrote the original Ocean's Eleven
and the Marlon Brando
version of Mutiny on the Bounty
.
Richard P. Powell
Richard Pitts Powell was an American novelist.-Biography:Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Powell graduated from Princeton University in 1930 then worked at the Philadelphia Evening Public Ledger newspaper. After ten years, he joined the advertising agency N. W. Ayer & Son. Following service...
, first published in 1959
1959 in literature
The year 1959 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*April 30 - Theatrical première of Bertolt Brecht's Saint Joan of the Stockyards, originally performed on radio in 1932....
. The novel follows a New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
family, The Kwimpers, who relocate to Columbiana, a fictional state that resembles Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, and squat on the side of a highway where a new bridge is being built, outraging local officials. The book was adapted into a play by Herman Raucher
Herman Raucher
Herman Raucher is an American author who has written several screenplays, among them the popular Summer of '42 and The Great Santini and several novels and plays...
and also an Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
movie, Follow that Dream
Follow that Dream
Follow That Dream is a 1962 musical film starring Elvis Presley made by Mirisch Productions. The movie was based on the 1959 novel Pioneer, Go Home! by Richard P. Powell. Producer Walter Mirisch liked the song Follow that Dream and retitled the picture...
.
50th Anniversary Edition
In 2009 a 50th anniversary edition of Pioneer, Go Home! was released and includes a previously unpublished preface by the author .Plot summary
The Kwimper family of Cranberry CountyCranbury Township, New Jersey
- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there were 3,227 people, 1,091 households, and 877 families residing in the township. The population density was 240.6 people per square mile . There were 1,121 housing units at an average density of 83.6 per square mile...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
is on a vacation in Columbiana when their car runs out of gas. Somewhere along the way, the Kwimpers had made a wrong turn and ended up on an unfinished highway. While waiting for assistance to arrive they set up shacks on the side of the road to live out of.
The Kwimper clan consists of Pop Kwimper who has lived his entire life off government welfare programs such as unemployment compensation and Aid to Families with Dependent Children
Aid to Families with Dependent Children
Aid to Families with Dependent Children was a federal assistance program in effect from 1935 to 1996, which was administered by the United States Department of Health and Human Services...
, his happy-go-lucky son Toby Kwimper (whose "Strength is as the strength of ten because his heart is pure"), adopted identical twins Eddy and Teddy that nobody can tell apart (and whose parents "tried to beat a train to a crossing and only came out tied"), and the family baby sitter Holly Jones.
When confronted by state officials and treated poorly Pop Kwimper decides that the family will settle on the side of the highway permanently. Pop learns of old squatting
Squatting
Squatting consists of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have permission to use....
statutes in the state and determines that he has a legal right to occupy the land.
The novel revolves around the family's comical battles with the government, as they establish their lives on the squatted land and are eventually joined by other squatters. The family also contends with social workers, their own poverty, a hurricane, and a group of gangsters that tries to squat on nearby land to run an illegal casino.
Of the novel's satire, in the first edition of the novel the publisher writes:
"It's possible that some readers may see woven into this comedy the theme of Little Man versus Big Government. They may also find it a study of the classic pioneering spirit and of its chances of survival in America today."
Inspiration
The novel is based on a true story. After World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Powell moved to Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
. Powell learned that the state of Florida had just built a bridge to Pine Island
Pine Island (Lee County, Florida)
Pine Island is an island located in Lee County, Florida, on the Gulf coast of southwest Florida. It is the largest island in the state of Florida, and the 118th largest island in the United States. The Intracoastal Waterway passes through Pine Island Sound, to the west of the island. Matlacha Pass...
. The fill
Fill
Fill may refer to:*Fill dirt, soil added to an area.*Fill , a short segment of instrumental music.*In textiles, the filling yarn is the same as weft, the yarn which is shuttled back and forth across the warp to create a woven fabric....
used to build the bridge, inadvertently created a tract of land that did not exist on maps. A group of squatters moved onto the land, building shacks and starting small businesses, as in the novel. Eventually, the state granted property title
Title (property)
Title is a legal term for a bundle of rights in a piece of property in which a party may own either a legal interest or an equitable interest. The rights in the bundle may be separated and held by different parties. It may also refer to a formal document that serves as evidence of ownership...
s to the squatters.
Powell's previous novel was The Philadelphian, a serious novel about four-generations of a Philadelphia family as they navigate the city's complex social ladder. The book spent 6 months on the best-seller charts. Most observers expected Powell to follow-up with a similar book, but instead he wanted something different and wrote a comedy.
Adaptation
In 1962, the book was adapted into a movie starring Elvis PresleyElvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
. Although the name Pioneer, Go Home! was considered for the film, it was ultimately named Follow that Dream
Follow that Dream
Follow That Dream is a 1962 musical film starring Elvis Presley made by Mirisch Productions. The movie was based on the 1959 novel Pioneer, Go Home! by Richard P. Powell. Producer Walter Mirisch liked the song Follow that Dream and retitled the picture...
. The film adaptation was a musical, scored by Hans J. Salter
Hans J. Salter
Hans J. Salter was an American film composer.Hans J. Salter gained his education from the Vienna Academy Of Music, and studied composition with Alban Berg, Franz Schreker, and others. He was Music Director of the State Opera in Berlin before being hired to compose music at UFA studios...
. Elvis played the role of Toby Kwimper. Arthur O'Connell
Arthur O'Connell
Arthur O'Connell was an American stage and film actor. He appeared in films in 1941 and television programs...
played Pop Kwimper. The screenplay was written by Charles Lederer
Charles Lederer
Charles Lederer was a prolific and well-connected American film writer and director of the 30s to the 60s, from a prominent theatrical family with close ties to the Hearst dynasty.-Early life:...
, who also wrote the original Ocean's Eleven
Ocean's Eleven (1960 film)
Ocean's 11 is a 1960 heist film directed by Lewis Milestone and starring five Rat Packers: Peter Lawford, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Joey Bishop....
and the Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando, Jr. was an American movie star and political activist. "Unchallenged as the most important actor in modern American Cinema" according to the St...
version of Mutiny on the Bounty
Mutiny on the Bounty (1962 film)
Mutiny on the Bounty is a 1962 film starring Marlon Brando and Trevor Howard based on the novel Mutiny on the Bounty by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall. The film retells the 1789 real-life mutiny aboard HMAV Bounty led by Fletcher Christian against the ship's captain, William Bligh...
.